Best Hybrid Mattress for Side Sleepers [2023]

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Are you a side sleeper looking for a soft but supportive mattress?

You’ve come to the right place.

In this buying guide, we will review the best hybrid mattresses for side sleepers that you can order online.

Memory foam mattresses are the best for many side sleepers. They provide great pressure relief, which side sleepers need more compared to back and stomach sleepers.

However, memory foam may not provide the kind of support you are looking for. This is especially the case for couples and heavier sleepers. You may sink too deep into the mattress, causing your spine to bend, which can lead to back pain.

Also, memory foam has minimal responsiveness, which can make it harder to change sleeping positions or get up from the bed.

If you are a side sleeper looking for a mattress that’s more supportive and responsive (bouncy), get a hybrid mattress.

Hybrid mattresses have soft foams at the top and pocket coils in the core. You get the pressure relief of memory foam with the robust support of inner coils.

As a bonus, hybrid mattresses sleep very cool – helpful for hot sleepers.

Note: If you don’t want a hybrid pocket coil mattress, you can also get a hybrid all-foam mattress that combines different types of foams (e.g., memory foam + latex foam).


What’s In This Guide?

In this guide, we will review and compare some of our top picks.

By the way, here’s what we considered when choosing the best hybrid mattresses for side sleepers (use this criterion also to pick the right mattress): body-conforming comfort section, pillow top, supportive core, good cooling performance, and a generous in-home trial and warranty.

We’ve explained all these factors in a longer buying guide further below.

If you are not a side sleeper, you can still benefit from sleeping on a hybrid mattress. Read our best hybrid mattress buying guide to pick the right mattress for your comfort needs.

If you are a side sleeper but aren’t a big fan of pocket coil mattresses, we have other great recommendations, including memory foam and latex, in our best mattress for side sleepers buying guide.


Our Top Picks

If you don’t have time to go through this rather long buying guide, here’s a summary of our top picks.

  1. Editor’s Choice: Nolah
  2. Best Value: Casper Hybrid
  3. Best Luxury: WinkBeds Luxury Hybrid
  4. Best Support: Leesa Legend
  5. Best Pillow Top: Helix Midnight Luxe
  6. Best Cooling: Brooklyn Aurora
  7. Best for Heavy Side Sleepers: Purple 4
MattressAwardTypeFirmnessThickness Warranty
Nolah Signature
Nolah Signature
Editor’s ChoiceAll-foam hybridMedium-soft (4-5/10)12”Lifetime
Casper Hybrid
Casper Hybrid
Best ValueMemory foam + Pocket coils hybridMedium (5-5.5/10)12”10 years
WinkBeds Luxury Hybrid
WinkBeds Luxury Hybrid
Best LuxuryDual innerspring hybridMedium-soft (4-5/10) & medium-firm (5.5-6.5/10)13.5”Lifetime
Leesa Legend
Leesa Legend
Best SupportDual innerspring hybridMedium-firm (6-6.5/10)12”10 years
Helix Midnight Luxe
Helix Midnight Luxe
Best Pillow TopPillow Top HybridMedium (5-5.5/10)14”15 years
Brooklyn Bedding Aurora
Brooklyn Bedding Aurora
Best CoolingHybrid with PCM coolingSoft, medium and firm13.5”10 years
Purple Hybrid Premier (Purple 4)
Purple Hybrid Premier (Purple 4)
Best for Heavy Side SleepersHyper-elastic polymer + pocket coil hybridMedium-soft (4-5/10)13”10 years

1. Editor’s Choice: NolahSignature

Nolah - best hybrid mattress for heavy side sleepers

The Nolah mattress calls itself as the best hybrid plush mattress for side sleepers.

That’s partly marketing hype(there are no official awards for the most comfortable mattresses), but there’s also some truth in it.

The Nolah Signature mattress is designed specifically with side sleepers in mind. It provides deep pressure relief and enhanced body-conforming.

It is a bit pricey, especially considering it is an all-foam hybrid mattress, but we think it is the most comfortable mattress for most side sleepers.

Bonus feature: Nolah Signature is two-sided with a soft and firm side.

Pros

  • Excellent body-conforming and pressure relief.
  • Good support, even for heavier sleepers.
  • Sleeps cool.
  • Two-sided.

Cons

  • Pricey compared to other all-foam mattresses.
  • A bit of off-gassing when new.
  • Fair edge support.

Our Review

Nolah Signature is unlike most hybrid mattresses. The typical construction of hybrid mattresses consists of foam layers on top and a pocket coil base.

Nolah is an all-foam hybrid mattress. Instead of combining foam and coils, it combines different types of foams.

The Signature mattress starts with an extra-airy type of foam the company calls AirFoam.

This is a temperature-neutral type of polyfoam that has much less heat retention compared to memory foam. It’s not quite as cool as latex, but it’s way better than memory foam.

AirFoam is also soft, allowing it to conform to your body and relieve pressure from your shoulders and hips.

The next layer consists of high-resilience supportive foam. It is designed to have a feel close to that of latex – it is supportive and a bit bouncy.

The high-resilience layer balances the plush top layer, ensuring you don’t sink in too deep.

A 7” high-density core provides deep compression support for heavier sleepers and keeps the mattress from sagging.

Below the core is a 1” layer of Airfoam that becomes the top layer of the mattress when you sleep on the firm side.

The four layers are wrapped in an organic cotton cover.

Comfort and Firmness

You’d be forgiven to think you are sleeping on a memory foam mattress. The soft side of the Nolah Signature mattress has a plush, pressure-reliving memory foam feel.

The soft side rates at 4-5/10 on the firmness scale. It easily contours around your shoulder and hip, ensuring these pressure points are not digging painfully into the mattress.

But even with the soft feel, it doesn’t feel like you are stuck in a swamp. The second high-resilience layer and the core layer provide excellent support and add some bounciness to the mattress.

Lighter than average (under 130lbs) and average weight (130-230lbs) sleepers should try sleeping on the soft side.

Heavier sleepers weighing over 230 lbs will find the firmer side to be more comfortable. The top layer of AirFoam provides just the right amount of pressure relief without causing excessive sinkage.

The only bit we don’t like so much about the Signature mattress is the lower-than-average edge support. Couples may find it a bit uncomfortable to sleep near the edge of the mattress (get the King or Cal King size to ensure you don’t need to sleep at the edge).

In terms of cooling, the Nolah Signature performs slightly better than average compared to other foam mattresses. The lack of memory foam certainly helps, as does the breathable organic cotton cover.

While we can’t officially say Nolah is the #1 Mattress for Side Sleepers, it ranks somewhere at the top. We highly recommend it.

Nolah Mattress Details

Nolah Signature Mattress Details

Shipping: Free shipping to all 48 states in the contiguous US

In-home trial: 120 nights

Warranty: Lifetime, prorated (first 15 years are non-prorated)


2. Best Value: Casper Hybrid

The Casper Hybrid

Looking for a mattress with proven comfort and quality? Try the Casper original mattress.

Casper is one of the oldest bed-in-a-box mattresses, so they know what people want in a mattress. Their flagship all-foam mattresses have received several improvements in the last few years.

Recently, Casper introduced a hybrid version of the original mattress. With a medium comfort feel, the Casper original hybrid mattress is a great choice for side sleepers.

The best part: it’s cheaper than most hybrid mattresses, which is why it is our top value pick.

Pros

  • Good value for money.
  • Excellent pressure relief.
  • Great support from the zoned support layer and the coil layer.
  • Sleeps cool.

Cons

  • Some off-gassing when new.
  • Not ideal for heavy sleepers (over 230lbs).

Our Review

The Casper Hybrid king mattress for side sleepers is constructed to offer pressure-relieving support. It combines the body-confirming ability of memory foam with the deep support of pocket coils.

The 12” mattress starts with breathable open-cell polyfoam on top called Airscape foam. The open-cell design provides a cool sleeping surface.

The third layer is pressure-relieving memory foam, but it has a unique design. Instead of a uniform layer of foam, it has different zones with varying firmness.

These zones correspond to specific areas of your body. For instance, the zone under your shoulders is soft to improve pressure relief while the zone under your back is firmer to boost support.

The zoned layer greatly improves body contouring, lumbar support, and spinal alignment.

Next is the base consisting of  coils with a high-density foam edge support system all around.

The Casper Hybrid mattress is wrapped in a polyester cover.

Comfort and Firmness

The Casper Hybrid mattress is a medium comfort mattress with a rating of 5-5.5/10.

It’s a good choice for side sleepers in the light and average weight categories. The soft foams on top provide close body-conforming while the coil core provides deep compression support.

Edge support is good, which should help couples sleep comfortably. Another advantage couples will enjoy the lack of motion transfer. The individually wrapped coils do not transfer motion across the mattress.

While Casper Hybrid is not as bouncy as other innerspring mattresses, it’s bouncy enough to make it easy to change sleeping positions. It’s also good for sex.

As for temperature control, Casper Hybrid has no problem here. The breathable cover, the open-cell top layer, and the pocket coils see to it that you sleep cool all year round.

Casper Wave Hybrid Details

Casper Wave Mattress Details

Shipping: Free shopping within the continental US. Extra shipping fees apply for Alaska and Hawaii orders. White glove delivery available for $149.

In-home trial: 100 nights

Warranty: 10 years, non-prorated


3. Best Luxury: WinkBeds Luxury Hybrid

Winkbeds- Hybrid Mattress for Side Sleepers

Looking for a ‘sleeping on a fluffy cloud’ kind of mattress? We recommend the WinkBed Luxury Hybrid mattress.

WinkBeds sells the mattress in four firmness options (including a Plus option for heavier sleepers). Still, only two are ideal for side sleepers: Softer for light and average weight side sleepers and Luxury Firm for heavier side sleepers.

As you’d expect for a luxury mattress, the WinkBed is pricey. But compared to the $3,000+ price tags of luxury mattress in legacy stores, it’s still a heck of a bargain.

Pros

  • Luxurious sleeping experience.
  • Excellent pressure relief.
  • It offers great support for heavier sleepers.
  • Sleeps cool.

Cons

  • Pricey.

Our Review

The WinkBed luxury hybrid mattress for side sleepers looks like one of those thick luxury mattresses you find in 5-star hotels. It measures 13.5” high. Keep that in mind, when planning the type of bed frame, you’ll place it on.

But the most interesting thing about WinkBed’s construction is not its height; it’s the unique dual innerspring design. We’ve seen this only in one other mattress – Saatva Classic.

The WinkBed mattress starts with a plush pillow top consisting of two layers of soft polyfoam. The pillow top provides instant pressure relief when you lie on the bed. It’s the one responsible for the ‘fluffy cloud’ feel of the WinkBed mattress.

Foam in the pillow top is gel-infused. The gel pulls heat away from your body, helping you sleep cooler.

Beneath the pillow top is a layer of micro air-springs. These springs do two things: they provide deep body contouring, and they improve airflow within the mattress, which helps with cooling.

Next is a layer of more pressure-relieving and heat-absorbing gel foam. This layer is unique to the Softer WinkBed.

The base of both the Softer and Luxury Firm options consists of pocketed coils and polyfoam encasement.

The pocketed coils are zoned, meaning they vary in give. Some areas use firmer coils that hold up your weight while other zones, such as the one under your shoulders, use coils with more give for added pressure relief.

The WinkBed mattress is wrapped in a breathable Tencel cover.

Firmness and Comfort

As I mentioned, the WinkBed mattress comes in four comfort levels. Side sleepers should consider only two of them: Softer and Luxury Firm.

The Softer WinkBed provides close body-conforming and deep pressure relief for light and average weight sleepers.

The Luxury Firm WinkBed provides a good balance of soft contouring and firm support for heavier sleepers (over 230lbs).

However, if you weigh over 300lbs, get the WinkBed Plus, regardless of your sleeping position.

WinkBed scores highly in all measures of comfort: it has excellent shoulder and hip pressure relief, support is great (including edge support), it has minimal motion transfer, and it sleeps cool as a cucumber.

Our favorite feature is the Pillow Top. It provides a luxuriously plush sleeping surface that side sleepers will love.

WinkBed Mattress Details

WinkBed Mattress Details

Shipping: Free within the contiguous US. In-home delivery and setup are available for $129.

In-home trial: 120 nights

Warranty: Lifetime


4. Best Support: Leesa Legend

Leesa Legend

Hybrid mattresses with a coil layer provide good support. Mattresses with two coil layers provide even better support.

The Leesa Legend mattress uses a dual coil construction to provide deep body contouring and compression support. This makes it an especially good choice for sleepers weighing over 230lbs.

The mattress has a medium-firm feel, again making it ideal for bigger-bodied side sleepers.

Pros

  • Excellent support for heavy sleepers.
  • Deep contouring prevents aches and pains on shoulders and hips.
  • Sleeps cool.
  • It is made with eco-friendly materials.

Cons

  • Expensive.
  • Not ideal for sleepers who weigh less than average.

Our Review

The Leesa Legend is Leesa’s newest mattress and their most expensive one.

The most interesting feature of the Legend mattress is the dual spring system. We’ve seen the same feature in a few other mattresses, including Saatva Classic and WinkBed.

Similar to WinkBed, the first coil layer consists of 1.5” micro-coils. These provide body contouring and improve airflow within the mattress, which helps with cooling. But not the entire layer is made with coils.

Only the upper and lower sections have the micro coils. The mid-section is foam, which improves pressure relief and around your hips and helps with spinal alignment.

The other spring layer consists of 6” pocket coils that provide compression support and edge support.

Between the two coil layers is a 1” transition foam layer, and below the 6” layer is another 1” slice of high-density foam.

Together, the four layers (two coil layers and two foam layers), form the core and base of the Legend mattress, providing contouring, support, and lumbar alignment.

The comfort section at the top of the mattress consists of just two layers: 1” hole-punched comfort foam and 1” pressure-reliving memory foam.

As for the mattress cover, it’s made from a knitted fabric consisting of recycled polyester, organic cotton, and merino wool.

Comfort and Firmness

Because of the relatively thin comfort layer, the Leesa Legend mattress is firmer than the other hybrid mattresses we’ve reviewed. It’s rated as medium-firm, but it’s still comfortable for most side sleepers.

The comfort foam and memory foam layers hug your shoulder and hip, preventing any painful pressure points.

The micro-coils also do a great job contouring to your body curves.

We recommend Leesa Legend for sleepers in the average (130-230lbs) and higher than average (over 230lbs) weight ranges.

Anyone who weighs less than 130lbs will likely find the Legend mattress too firm for their liking.

Temperature-wise, the Leesa Legend mattress sleeps very cool thanks to the hole-punched upper layer and the dual coil layers. It is a great choice for hot sleepers.

The Legend mattress is quite responsive, which makes it good for sex.

But the increased responsiveness leads to noticeable motion transfer. You probably won’t feel your partner when they stand up from the bed, but if they turn and toss a lot at night, you may feel some of their movements.

Something else you may not like about Leesa Legend is the slight noise from the dual spring layers. It’s not as bad as a traditional Bonnell spring mattress, but it can be audible during particularly vigorous activities (yes, that).

Leesa Legend Details

Leesa Original Details

Shipping: Free shipping to all 50 states.White glove delivery available for $150.

In-home trial: 100 nights

Warranty: 10 years, non-prorated


5. Best Pillow Top: Helix Midnight Luxe

Helix Midnight Luxe

If you are the kind of side sleeper who must sleep on a fluffy cloud to feel comfortable, what you need is a pillow-top mattress.

These types of mattresses incorporate a super soft layer on top that hugs your body even better than memory foam.

One of the best pillow top mattresses for side sleepers is the Helix Midnight Luxe. It’s one of the 13 mattresses – yes, 13 – Helix Sleep sells.

With those many options, you are sure to find a mattress that’s perfect for you. Helix even offers a sleep quiz to customize your mattress choice.

For average weight side sleepers looking for plush 5-star hotel luxury, we recommend the Helix Midnight Luxe.

Pros

  • The plush pillow top provides instant pressure relief.
  • The zoned layer provides good support and spinal alignment.
  • It comes with two free pillows (a time-limited offer).
  • Long warranty.

Cons

  • Sleepers over 230lbs may find it too plush, and those under 130lbs may find it too firm (but there’s a mattress for everyone – visit the official website to pick the right one for you).

Our Review

The Helix Midnight Luxe is a thick mattress. It has a 14” profile, thicker than most hybrid mattresses. If you love thick mattresses that make a statement, you’ll love Midnight Luxe.

The Midnight Luxe mattress starts with a plush quilted pillow top filled with polyfoam. The foam has an ILD (a measure of firmness) of 10, which means it is very soft.

Because soft foam tends to trap more heat, the mattress is wrapped in a cooling Tencel cover. Tencel is an ultra-breathable fabric that also feels soft to the touch.

Below the pillow top are two memory foam layers, designed to provide deep contouring as you settle into the mattress. One of the layers has a cooling gel that pulls heat away from your body.

Next is a transition layer made with polyfoam, then a zoned pocket coil layer, and a high-density foam base. These three layers form the main supportive portion of the mattress, balancing the softer upper layers and ensuring you don’t sink in too deep.

Comfort and Firmness

Helix Midnight Luxe is a medium feel mattress –5-5.5/10. You can feel the soft layers as you sink into them, but the firmer core provides enough support to keep your spine properly aligned.

The Pillow Top makes a big difference for side sleepers. It provides a level of pressure relief you can’t get in other hybrid mattresses without a pillow top.

Because of the plush pillow top, we think it is a good choice for side sleepers with shoulder or hip pain. It’ll cushion you better than other hybrid mattresses.

Helix Midnight Luxe is not for all side sleepers. We recommend it for people in the average weight range – 130lbs to 230lbs.

Lighter than this, and the mattress will not feel as plush as you might like. Heavier than this, and you’ll sink too much, causing your spine to bend out of shape, which can cause back pain.

When it comes to cooling, the Helix Midnight Luxe does a great job despite its thick foam layers. The breathable cover and the pocket coils work together to move excess heat out of the mattress.

Motion control is also great – a big plus for couples who toss and turn a lot.

Responsiveness – which is good for sex and changing sleep positions – is good but not as much as other hybrid mattresses. The pillow top and thick foam layers dampen some of the bounciness.

Helix Midnight Luxe Details

Helix Midnight Luxe Details

Shipping: Free shipping to all 50 states.$250 per mattress for deliveries to Canada.

In-home trial: 100 nights

Warranty: 15 years, non-prorated


6. Best Cooling: Brooklyn Aurora

Brooklyn Aurora

When it comes to bed-cooling technologies, phase change materials (PCMs) are the most effective. They draw heat away from the body much more effectively than cooling gel or perforated foam.

The Brooklyn Aurora mattress is one of the best hybrid cooling mattresses for side sleepers that uses a phase change molecule they call TitanCool that keeps your skin at a cooler-than-normal 88 degrees (lower skin temperature helps you sleep better).

Combine TitanCool with the ventilation-boosting pocket coil design, and it’s easy to see why the Aurora mattress is our top recommendation for side sleepers who sleep hot.

Pros

  • Excellent cooling performance – sleeps cooler than most hybrid mattresses.
  • Soft and medium comfort options offer deep pressure relief.
  • Good support, even for heavier sleepers.
  • Long in-home trial.

Cons

  • Brooklyn Bedding doesn’t offer white glove delivery.

Our Review

If there’s something that’s probably as bad as a too-firm or too-soft mattress, it’s a too-hot mattress. It turns your bed into a stuffy, uncomfortable sauna.

To avoid heat retention often experienced in mattresses with foam, the Brooklyn Aurora mattress uses TitanCool, a patented PCM that keeps your skin at a comfortable temperature.

TitanCool doesn’t just cool you; it also warms you when it’s cold.

There’s a lot of science involved in it works, but here’s the low-down: when you are hot, TitanCool absorbs heat and liquefies, and when it’s cold, the molecule produces warmth and solidifies.

The tipping point for the phase change (solid to liquid and back) is 88 degrees. This keeps your skin at a precise temperature, regardless of the season.

The Aurora mattress contains TitanCool both in the soft, breathable cover and the first polyfoam layer.

The top layer also contains CopperGel, which further helps dissipate excess body heat away from the mattress.

The second layer is also polyfoam but doesn’t contain any infused materials.

Both these two polyfoam layers are more responsive than normal foam. They give the Aurora mattress a plush but bouncy feel. You can still turn around and get up from bed without feeling like you are stuck in a swamp.

Below the two layers is a 1” layer of gel memory foam that provides deep contouring, transitional support, and additional thermal control.

Next comes the core of the mattress, consisting of an 8” layer of individually wrapped coils. Because the coils are not connected, they can contour to your body shape more effectively and quickly respond when you move. They also reduce motion transfer.

A 1” base foam layer provides extra support and overall stability.

Comfort and Firmness

We have said plenty about it, but there’s more to the Brooklyn Aurora mattress than just it’s cooling ability.

It’s also great at relieving pressure, especially for side sleepers. But only if you choose the right firmness.

Aurora is available in soft, medium, and firm comfort options. For most side sleepers, we recommend either the soft or medium mattress as they offer the best body-conforming.

If you weigh less than 130lbs, get the soft option. For average weight sleepers weighing between 130 and 230lbs, get the medium option.

Heavier sleepers weighing over 230lbs should try the firm option to ensure they get adequate lumbar support.

Brooklyn Aurora Mattress Details

Brooklyn Bedding Aurora details

Shipping: Free shipping to all 48 states in the contiguous US.$125 per mattress for deliveries to Alaska and Hawaii and $250 per mattress for deliveries to Canada.

In-home trial: 120 nights

Warranty: 10 years, non-prorated


7. Best for Heavy Side Sleepers: Purple Hybrid Premier (Purple 4)

Purple Hybrid Premiere

It can be difficult for heavy side sleepers to find a comfortable mattress. Many mattresses are either too soft that you sink too deep or too firm that they hurt your shoulders and hips.

The best hybrid mattress for a heavy side sleeper is one that provides deep pressure relief as well as good compression support. In other words, the mattress should conform to your body without making you sink in too far that your spine bends unnaturally.

The Purple Hybrid Premier mattress meets these conditions.

Specifically, we recommend the Purple Hybrid Premier with a 4” Purple Grid layer, which was previously called the Purple 4 mattress.

Pros

  • Deep contouring and excellent support for heavy-side sleepers.
  • Sleeps cool.
  • Motion-isolating design.
  • Free in-home delivery and setup.

Cons

  • Expensive.

Our Review

The Purple Hybrid Premier is one of three mattresses Purple sells. The other two are the original Purple mattress and the Purple Hybrid (previously called Purple 2).

The Purple Hybrid Premier is the most expensive in the lineup. It’s available in two options: one with a 3” Purple Grid and another with a 4” Purple Grid (previously called Purple 3 and Purple 4).

If you are wondering what this whole Purple Grid thing is, let us explain.

Purple mattresses have always been different. Instead of the usual foam comfort layer, the original Purple Mattress came with a rubbery material called Hyper-Elastic Polymer.

The polymer is designed with a grid system that allows it to respond to the pressure-relief and support needs of different areas of your body (the grids collapse where there’s more pressure and stay up right where you need extra support).

Purple calls this layer Purple Grid. It is responsive, supportive, and body-conforming. It also greatly increases airflow, keeping the mattress cool.

The Purple Hybrid Premier uses this same material to provide even better pressure relief and support.

When you order the mattress, make sure you select the one with a 4” Purple Grid. It provides deeper body contouring, which heavier side sleepers need.

Below the Purple Grid is a 7.5” core consisting of responsive pocket coils. The coil layer is sandwiched between two thin polyfoam layers that provide extra support and ensure you don’t feel the coils underneath.

The Purple 4 mattress is wrapped in a breathable StretchMax Cover.

Comfort and Firmness

The Purple Hybrid Premier delivers a zero-gravity sleeping experience.

The combination of body contouring from the Purple Grid and robust support from the pocket coil layer results in no-pressure weightlessness.

The Purple 4 mattress can easily support up to 300lbs (or 600lbs for a couple) without cratering.

Edge support is great, so you should be comfortable whether you sleep at the center or near the edge of the bed.

The cooling performance is excellent. Hyper-Elastic polymer doesn’t retain heat, and the grids help dissipate excess body heat. It also helps that the Purple mattress doesn’t contain memory foam.

The Purple 4 mattress is also bouncier than average, which makes for easy movements, whether you are changing sleeping position or getting out of bed.

Purple Hybrid Premier Details

Purple Returns and Warranty

Shipping: Free shipping to all 48 states in the contiguous US. Free white glove delivery with free old mattress removal.

In-home trial: 100 nights

Warranty: 10 years, non-prorated


Buying Guide: What to Look For

what is the best hybrid mattress for side sleepers

Construction

Hybrid mattresses have a generally similar construction: softer foam layers on top and a pocket coil base/core.

What separates them is the firmness and thickness of the foam layers. Mattresses with thicker foam layers are generally softer and provide better pressure relief.

Thinner foam layers make for a firmer mattress that’s more supportive for heavier side sleepers.

Coil System

Virtually all hybrid mattresses use pocket coil systems. Pocket coils provide better body contouring, more responsive support, and better motion isolation compared to traditional coil systems such as Bonnell.

If you weigh more than average, consider a dual-coil hybrid mattress. These mattresses have a thinner micro-coil layer and the main coil base. The two coil layers provide better support.

Comfort Layer

The comfort layer should be soft and body-conforming. This ensures adequate pressure relief on your hip and shoulder.

Most hybrid mattresses use memory foam or low-ILD (soft) polyfoam in the comfort layer.

Support Layer

The support section typically includes a layer of transitional foam and a coil base. The transitional foam layer cushions you from the coils and improves weight distribution.

Pillow Top

If you are looking for an ultra-plush luxury hybrid mattress, look for one with a pillow-top. Pillow-tops contain extra-soft foam or fiberfill that closely hugs your body and provides quick pressure relief.

Foundation Required

Because hybrid mattresses tend to be heavy, some come with special foundation requirements such as center support and a specific distance between slats. Check manufacturer specifications before you order.

Fortunately, most hybrid mattresses work well on any type of foundation as long as it’s sturdy.

If you are not sure which foundation to use, order from the company. Most mattress manufacturers also sell compatible foundations and frames.


What Side Sleepers Need in a Mattress

best hybrid king mattress for side sleepers

Pressure relief: The mattress should conform to your body shape, to reduce pressure on your shoulder and hip. While softer mattresses generally deliver better pressure relief, the right level of firmness depends on your body weight. Heavier sleepers need a firmer mattress while petite sleepers need a plusher mattress.

Deep contouring: As you settle into the mattress, it should still hug your body to cushion pressure points and ensure proper spinal alignment. That’s why a sufficiently thick comfort section is important. Some hybrid mattresses use extra layers of foam, while others use micro coils to provide deep contouring.

Compression and lumbar support: Side sleepers need to sink into the mattress…to a point. A firm core and base are important to make sure you don’t sink in too much, which could lead to spinal misalignment and cause back pain.

Other things side sleepers need in a mattress are things that all types of sleepers also need. These general requirements include good cooling performance, responsiveness, edge support, and motion isolation.


Why Buy a Hybrid Mattress?

Hybrid Mattress for Side Sleepers

For many side sleepers, a memory foam mattress is the best. So why write an in-depth buying guide recommending the best hybrid mattresses for side sleepers?

Because memory foam mattresses are not for everyone, here’s what you get in a hybrid mattress that memory foam mattresses don’t offer.

  • Better compression support to ensure you don’t sink in too deep.
  • Improved support for heavier sleepers. Sleepers weighing over 230lbs should only consider hybrid mattresses.
  • Better airflow and cooling. For hot sleepers, a hybrid mattress is better than memory foam.
  • Improved responsiveness. If you love a bit of bounce in a mattress, the hybrid is the way to go.

A well-designed hybrid mattress can be just as comfortable for side sleepers as a memory foam mattress. Use our buying guide above to choose the right hybrid mattress.


Hybrid Mattresses for Side Sleepers: FAQs

Hybrid Mattress for Side Sleepers

What’s the best hybrid mattress for side sleepers?

A hybrid mattress with a soft comfort section that conforms to the body and a firm pocket coil base that provides support.

What’s the best mattress firmness for side sleepers?

For most people, the best firmness is medium-soft to medium (4-6/10).

But the right level of firmness depends on your body weight. Heavier sleepers need a firmer mattress while petite sleepers need a softer mattress.

How long does a hybrid mattress last?

On average, hybrid mattresses last 6-8 years, roughly the same lifespan as memory foam mattresses.

However, warranties for hybrid mattresses can range between 10 years and 25 years.

 


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